Sports performance launches focus on creatine, format and flavor

Creatine is by far the most dominant ingredient in sports performance products, with brands targeting lifestyle users in addition to athletes.

Formats are also diversifying beyond powders, with many brands incorporating creatine into candy-style supplements, as well as functional foods and beverages.

Beyond creatine, brands are targeting hydration, muscle strength, recovery, and energy, with alternative, ‘natural’ caffeine sources seeing a particular resurgence.

Below is a look at some of the more recent expansions, extensions and launches in the space.

Nourished’s Creatine+ Strength

Personalized supplement brand Nourished recently entered the creatine category with a range of three stacked gummies for strength, energy and cognitive function.

The blood orange and yuzu-flavored Creatine+ Strength is designed to support muscles, bones and energy levels. With 1 g of creatine per gummy and a recommended dose of three gummies per day, the formulation contains added vitamin D3 and K2 as well as HyrdoCurc curcumin for enhanced absorption.

Melissa Snover, CEO of Nourished, said the brand’s decision to enter the creatine category is largely due to increasing consumer interest in the ingredient, and new research which suggests creatine may play a role in supporting cognition.

“Our goal was to create a range that supports our customers and reflects how people actually live today,” Snover said. “By combining clinically recognized creatine dosing with targeted functional ingredients in our patented gummy format, we’ve created products that make supplementation simpler, more enjoyable and more accessible for everyday consumers.”

Prime’s Shake + Creatine

Earlier this year, American influencer and entrepreneur Logan Paul announced on Instagram that his energy drink company Prime had become “the first to create a mainstream, shelf-stable product where the majority of creatine does not degrade over the shelf life.”

Marketed to support both sports performance and cognitive function, Paul said the combination of creatine and protein can lead to “more reps, more strength, faster recovery, improved focus, mental fatigue and memory.”

Neutonic’s creatine stick packs and focus pouches

Following on from the launch of Neutonic’s creatine stick packs, the brand recently unveiled a new focus solution in the form of sublingual pouches.

The nicotine-free pouches, which come in fresh mint flavor, deliver 50 mg of natural caffeine per pouch, 125 mg of Cognizin and a B vitamin complex. The pouches are design to support concentration, alertness and mental performance on the go.

GNC Beyond Raw LIT V2

Global health and wellness brand GNC has launched a range of new RTD energy drinks in three flavors: Gummy Shark, Gummy Worm and Passion, Orange and Guava. The reformulated product contains six clinically studied active compounds for enhanced energy and focus.

The formula contains 250 mg Cognizin for mental performance, 50 mg of Senactiv for endurance performance support, 5 g of L-citrulline for maximum blood flow and 50 mg of AstraGin for enhanced ingredient absorption. LIT V2 also features electrolytes for hydration and 250 g natural caffeine from green coffee beans.

The launch follows on from GNC’s reformulated Beyond Raw LIT pre-workout powder. Launched in May 2026, the three products—in flavors Gummy Worm, Patriot Pop and Tiger’s Blood—contain Velox, an arginine and citrulline blend, and HydroNOx (citrulline hydrochloride), creating a ‘dual-powered’ nitric oxide system for muscle pump and performance.

AG1 Pro with Creatine

Global greens powder brand AG1 introduced AG1 Pro with 5 g of added Creavitalis creatine monohydrate per serving.

Launched with the tagline ‘Greens powder reimagined for performance’, the product contains the usual blend of vitamins and minerals, superfood and mushroom complexes, and digestive enzymes, as well as Ca-HMB for lean muscle preservation and zinc carnosine for gut lining support.

The product is NSF Certified for Sport and is available in Pineapple and Vanilla flavors.

Thorne’s Advanced Pre-Workout

Premium nutritional supplement brand Thorne released a new pre-workout product, with high-performance amino acids, alpha-GPC and naturally derived caffeine for clean, sustained energy.

In addition, the rainbow sherbet-flavored Advanced Pre-Workout contains beta-alanine, L-citrulline, L-theanine to enhance energy and endurance. The product is NSF Certified for Sport in keeping with the brand’s high-quality product offering.

Marchon’s performance products

UK-based sports nutrition start-up Marchon has released a number of new products this year, targeting energy, hydration, recovery and endurance.

The brand’s Carb + Electrolytes is a carbohydrate and electrolyte blend with added taurine designed to support sustained energy, hydration and endurance during prolonged or high-intensity training. Meanwhile, Curcumin+ is a recovery-focused formula formulated with HydroCurc, boswellia and ginger to support joint comfort, mobility and post-training recovery.

Targeting the gut-brain axis, the company has also released a high-potency probiotic, marketed as Tri-Biotic, designed for endurance and high-volume training. The formula is designed to support digestive health, immune resilience and training consistency.

Finally, Marchon’s Collagen+ is a hydrolysed collagen powder with added hyaluronic acid, NAG, vitamin C and inulin, formulated to support connective tissue health, joint health and recovery.

Onest Energy’s energy drink

UK-based energy drink startup Onest Energy released a new flavor iteration earlier this year. Mango Lime joined Sparkling Apple Berry and Sparkling Tropical Peach, delivering the same natural energy drink with added magnesium, B vitamins, natural caffeine and sweetener.

The company went on to win Best Sports/Energy Drink at the UK Soft Drinks Awards 2026 at just eight months old, securing the category win ahead of established global brands including NOCCO, Holy Energy and Ghost Energy.

MyProtein’s Clear Whey Protein Water

Nichols, the international soft drinks business behind Vimto, partnered with THG, the owner of MyProtein, to launch a clear whey protein water. The ready-to-drink range is designed to tap into growing consumer demand for wellness and functional beverages as well as the demand for ‘lighter’ protein solutions.

Launching in September 2026, the clear whey products will be available in two flavors: Vimto and Raspberry Lemon. Delivering all essential amino acids, the products are designed to offer a refreshing alternative to traditional milk-based protein drinks.

“Functional drinks are currently one of the most exciting growth areas in soft drinks, as consumers increasingly look for products that combine great taste, refreshment and added benefits,” said Andrew Milne, CEO of Nichols. “MyProtein Clear Whey Protein Water has been developed to meet that demand, offering shoppers a lighter and more refreshing way to add protein into their day.”

Optimum Nutrition creatine gummies

Sports nutrition brand Optimum Nutrition released a new range of creatine gummies in two flavors: Pineapple and Blue Raspberry. Each three-gummy dose delivers 5 g of creatine monohydrate in a convenient format.

The gummies are designed to build muscle, improve recovery and enhance performance, with zero synthetic colors and only 2 g of sugar per serving.

ESN Daily Reload

Elite Sports Nutrition (ESN) updated its flagship Daily product, adding Cherry Lime flavor to the existing line, joining Cactus Fruit, Green Apple, Apple Cranberry, Raspberry Iced Tea and Sour Power.

The new formula contains a combination of collagen peptides, L-glutamine, creatine and L-leucine to support joints, tendons, ligaments and cartilage as “the basis for maximum performance.” KSM-66 ashwagandha has also been added for additional stress support.

ESN also recently launched a number of new seasonal flavors of IsoClear protein, including Strawberry Basil, Protein Matcha Strawberry and Infused Coconut Water. The products follow on from the brand’s recent creatine gummy launch, which come in Peach and Mango.

Lemme Creatine Body Toning Gummies

Kourtney Kardashian-Barker added a new product to her Lemme gummy range, entering the performance nutrition category for the first time.

Lemme’s Creatine Body Toning Gummies contain 5 g of micronized creatine monohydrate per serving as well as AstraGin to support lean muscle tone, strength and recovery. Available in Blue Raspberry and Sour Apple new supplement is designed specifically to support women’s strength, recovery and cognitive health.

Kardashian-Barker said the launch reflects growing demand for science-backed strength and recovery solutions tailored to women’s needs.

Rello Protein Bars with Creatine

Performance nutrition brand Rello has set out to redefine how creatine fits into daily life, launching a protein bar with added creatine and collagen.

Each bar contains 20 g of protein, 1.2 g of creatine and collagen, using grass-fed beef tallow instead of seed oils. Sweetened with honey and dates, the bars are gluten-free and NSF Certified for Sport.

Co-founder Brett Sullivan said consumers have been missing a clean, convenient way to integrate creatine into daily life and that Rello was built to fix this problem.

MuscleBlaze Creatine Chews

Indian sports nutrition firm MuscleBlaze introduced a range of chewable creatine tablets to the Indian market after creatine overtook protein as the company’s largest product category.

The lime-flavored chews are designed to support lean muscle mass and increase strength and power, with each tablet providing 1 g of creatine.

Kaustuv Paliwal, senior vice president of MuscleBlaze, said the company was hoping to broaden creatine’s appeal beyond gym-goers by offering it in a more user-friendly format and highlighting its potential cognitive health benefits—an area which Indian consumers are beginning to explore.

VMI Sports’ creatine pre-workout and creatine + hydration

Active nutrition brand VMI Sports released two creatine-based products in a ‘Patriot Pop’ flavor ahead of U.S. July 4th Independence Day celebrations, marked with a 250^th anniversary badge.

Creatine Pre-Workout contains 300 mg of caffeine, 5 g of creatine monohydrate, HydroNox L-citrulline HCl and VitaCholine choline bitartrate—designed to provide users with energy, muscle strength, pump support and cognitive support.

Meanwhile, Creatine+Hydration combines creatine monohydrate with a mineral and electrolyte matrix for added hydration support.

Liquid I.V.’s powdered electrolyte mix

Hydration brand Liquid I.V. brought two sugar-free electrolyte powder mixes to the UK market in White Peach and Mango Pineapple flavor.

Each SKU contains a mix of essential electrolytes alongside eight vitamins and minerals, including sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium and vitamins B3, B5, B12 and C. The range is formulated to support hydration, energy and immunity, reduce fatigue and contribute to physical and mental performance.

The UK rollout follows the successful U.S. launch of the sugar-free range in 2023, where it now accounts for over 30% of Liquid I.V.’s total sales.

GHOST updates creatine line

GHOST announced plans to expand its Basics creatine range, which previously housed just two products formulated with 5 g of Creapure creatine monohydrate and 50 mg of Astragin. The brand will add new formulas featuring OptiCretine from TSI Group, broadening its existing line-up.

The new range includes an unflavored version as well as four flavored iterations in Blue Raspberry, Strawbango, Warheads Sour Watermelon and Welch’s Grape.